A week with my mom
by SilverCyanide5689
Summary: Henry is left with Emma, while Regina goes out of town. Will they defeat the curse once and for all?
1. Chapter 1

A/n: I apologize it's been forever, I haven't been able to come up with a decent story line.

So, anyway….review and all that jazz.

Having connections to a Mayor is usually a good thing, right? Get out of speeding tickets, get out of first degree murder…okay, maybe not the latter, but you get my point. However, Regina has made my life worse being mayor, how? Well, I gave up my son, Henry for adoption, I don't think the reasons are important, really. Just matters that I did it. Regina adopted him. That's going to cause issues, right there.

There was a knock on my door, Mary Margret, my roommate and Henry's elementary school teacher, opened the door. Of course, it was none other Regina.

"Emma, I need to talk to you about Henry."

"When do you not?" I asked sarcastically.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Please?" It was the first time I had ever heard her say 'please' it must be important.

"Alright." I stepped onto the front porch.

"You remember Sherriff Graham?" Regina asked.

I blinked away the tears. "Yes."

"Well, I have to go to out of town to a press conference related to his death. Henry is only ten. - I need him to stay with you."

"He not have Grandparents?"

"Not that could take of him. I don't like you very much, but I love my son, and he loves you."

"How long would you be gone?"

"A week. Maybe a little longer."

"How long does a press conference take?"

"Just the one day, but I have to drive there, and I have a couple other meetings while I'm there."

"I have no problem with it." I said. "Let me check with Mary Margaret."

I stepped back inside the house, Mary Margaret and Henry were sitting at the table, Mary Margaret was eating a sandwich and Henry was reading his book on fairy tales.

"Henry, go read upstairs, please?"

"Do I get to stay here?" He asked.

I cocked my head.

"Mom told me last night she was going to ask you.

"Alright, Mary Margaret do you care if he stays here for about a week?"

"Not at all. I think it would be fun to have a kid around here."

I nodded and stepped back outside the house.

"That's fine." I said.

"Thanks." Regina said sighing and walking off.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" I called after her.

Regina didn't answer, maybe because she didn't hear me, or maybe because she was hiding something.


	2. Chapter 2

I walked back into the house to find things just how I left them a moment ago.

"Henry, I just realized, we only have two bedrooms. So, until Regina gets back….you can take my room. I'll take the couch." I said.

Henry nodded, paying more attention to his book.

"So." Mary Margret said. "You've never told you who you think Emma is?"

Henry smiled at me. "I don't think I'm the one that needs to tell you that."

I looked at him with a cocked expression, but then I remembered in this story, I was Snow White's daughter and Snow White was Mary Margret. I nodded.

"Clearly, I'm missing something." Mary Margret said with a slight laugh.

"Henry, what time is school?"

"It's five o'clock in the evening." He said, still paying more attention to his book, getting agitated I was still talking to him.

"Right." I said. "Of course, what time do you go to bed?"

"Mom makes me go to bed at nine."

"Okay, fair enough, we'll stick to that."

Henry nodded. Closing his book and walking out of the room.

"Where ya going?"

"To my bedroom."

I sat down at the table. Where Mary Margret put down her sandwich. "My teacher instinct is kicking in, is something bugging you?"

_Maybe it's motherly instinct._

"I don't know how to be a mom, even if it is just for a week."

"Maybe, instead of being his mom, you need to be his friend?"

"Maybe. I just know if I screw up, Regina will have my head on a post."

"Exactly." Mary Margret said.

Henry came back into the room, holding his book like it were a newborn baby. There was a look of intense fear in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Henry stayed quiet, and positioned his eyes towards Mary Margret, who took the hint.

"I've got homework to grade." She said taking her sandwich into the other room.

"What's up?" I asked.

Henry made sure Mary Margret was out of ear shot and spoke softly. "My mom doesn't have a press conference about Sherriff Graham's death."

"I figured as much. Does your book reveal what she is trying to do?"

"Well, Mr. Gold is also out of town for a few days….I think they're going to try and kill Cinderella."

"Who?"

"Ashley."

"Right. Why Ashley?"

"Because she is the purest person there is."

"I thought Snow White was?"

"In the other world. Yes, but in this world…Ashley is more pure than Mary Margret, I read on Facebook that Ashley is pregnant. If Mr. Gold is Rumpelstillskin like I assume, then…it all makes sense. Rumpelstillskin wants the baby, and then Mom intends to kill her to hide everything.


	3. Chapter 3

"Your mom isn't stupid to risk loosing her job as Mayor, and possibly prison time just for Ashley."

"My mom is only Mayor in this world."

"Touché."

"So, I need help coming up with a plan?"

"What kind of plan?"

"A plan to save both Ashley and the baby!"

"Is Ashley married?"

"According to Facebook, yes."

"Didn't know the two of them got married."

"Awhile back."

"Did she know she was pregnant when they got married?"

"I don't know." Henry said looking at me like I was nuts, but I guess, I deserved it. Those were fairly odd questions, especially for a ten year old boy. "But, do you think Ashley is going to keep the baby, ya know, if we can save her and all?"

"Maybe. I can't really answer that for her."

He nodded but didn't seemed to be pleased with my answer.

After a few moments of silence Mary Margret came back into the room.

"Everything cool?"

"Yeah." I said.

"I'm going back to my mom, okay?"

"It's your room, do what you want." I said.

"What was that about?" Mary Margret asked.

"He thinks that Ashley is Cinderella, Mr. Gold is Rumpelstillskin, Ashley is apparently pregnant, and if were Mr. Gold were somehow a fairy tale character, he'd want that baby, Henry thinks that he's going to try and get it, and once he does, Regina is going to kill Ashley to cover everything up."

"and what do you think?"

"I don't know what to think. On one hand, I really don't like Regina, so I want to believe she's some wicked witch. On the other hand, it seems a little far fetched, doesn't it?"

"I've learned in teaching, there's no such thing as 'far fetched'"

"Maybe."

"Can I ask you something personal?"

I nodded.

"Did you and Sherriff Graham, ever…ya know?"

I thought about it. "Once. Why?"

Mary Margaret reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a small bag, with a white stick in it.

"It isn't mine, and if it isn't your's….we have bigger problems than Henry thinking everyone is from a fairy tale." Mary Margret said with a raised eyebrow.


	4. Chapter 4

A/n: Sorry, I know I've been slacking, but I haven't really had the inspiration to write, until tonight. Also, school starts Tuesday, so my posts may be a little delayed because of that as well. But I will try my best to not let them be.

I sighed. _What's the point of hiding it? She has the proof right there, although I'm a little concerned that she put it in a baggie. _I nodded. "But please, don't tell Henry, I want to tell him myself."

Mary-Margret nodded. "I think it's best if you do. But, you know what he's going to ask you."

I sighed deeply again. "Yeah, and I don't know if I'm ready to face that question."

"Tell me what?" A familiar voice said from the corner of the room. I spun around, to find Henry preparing a sandwich.

"Way to announce your presence." I said slightly sarcastic, but deeply wishing that he had.

"I didn't want to interrupt. What do I need to know, is it about you-know-what?"

"Henry, anything you need to say in front of your mom, you can say in front of me." Mary-Margret said.

"Fine. Is it about Operation COBRA?"

"Cobra?" Mary-Margret asked.

"I'll fill you in later." I said. "No-"

"So you are pregnant." Henry said, cutting me off.

"I think so, yes."

He mulled it over in his mind for a moment, and where I expected a frown to be, arose a smile. "Awesome. This place needs more kids." He said his smile still beaming.

"I think so too." Mary-Margret said.

Henry stroked his chin. "Mrs. Blanchard, do you know where Ashley works?"

"Yeah, at the same diner that Ruby works at."

"Mom, let's go get some dinner."

"Alright then." I said still in shock about how he reacted to the news.

"Mrs. Blanchard, do you want to come?" Henry asked,

Mary-Margret looked at the pile of papers on the table and then looked at Henry who was still smiling. "Yeah, the papers can wait." She said smiling towards him.

The three of us arrived at the diner, Ruby was there, but Ashley wasn't.

"Ruby, where's Ashley?" Henry asked.

"Her shift ended, she went off with some boy toy of hers."

"Did she say where they were going?" I asked.

"No, but I didn't ask. Should I have?"

"No, it's not that important."

"Ya know she's pregnant, right?"

"Yeah." Henry said smiling at me. "We heard."

"Is she working tomorrow?" Henry asked.

"Let me go check." She said disappearing behind a wooden door. I suddenly got a text message.

_Mary-Margret: Henry is being way to cool about this whole pregnant thing. _

_Me: I know, have I told you about my superpower?"_

_Mary-Margret: No?_

_Me: I can tell when people are lying, and Henry, isn't being honest._

_Mary-Margret: What are you going to do about it?_

_Me: I'm going to talk to him later, when it's just the two of us._

"You can stop texting each other." Henry said. "I promise, I'm cool with it."

I nodded. "Alright then."

Ruby came back a moment later. "She is, five o'clock to close."

"Thanks." Henry said. "Mom, we still going to have dinner?"

"I don't see why not."

We arrived home after filling our stomachs with diner food, it was an average diner, with average food, at average prices, but it was a good place to stop in just take a breather. Or if you were visiting from out of town, but of course, Storybrook never gets strangers.

Henry went straight to his room, he seemed bothered by the fact that Ashley wasn't at the diner, but why would she if her shift was over?

I gently knocked on his door and saw him to be, what seemed to be, wiping tears from his cheek.

"Hey, I want to talk to you." I said sitting down on his bed.

He nodded, trying to hide the fact his eyes were red and puffy.

"Now, you know I have a superpower, right?"

He nodded.

"So, why are you lying to me?"

"I'm not."

"Sure you are."

"Even if I wasn't happy about having a brother or a sister, WHICH I AM, there wouldn't be anything I can do about it."

I stared at him for a moment and then stood back up and shut his room door.

"Cut the crap. I'm not asking for you to be thrilled, truth be told, neither am I. But, I thought we were past the point where you have to lie to me." I said sitting back down on the bed.

He sighed but didn't say anything.

"What's on your mind?"

He still didn't respond.

"You're not deaf, answer the question or I'll take you in for interrogation." I said flashing my sheriff badge at him, with a smirk.

He smiled. "I'm glad you got sheriff."

"Me too, quit changing the subject."

"You gonna keep him….or her?"

"So, that's the issue." I said. "Figured it might be."

"Are you?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"So, what did I do?"

"What do you mean?"

"To make you not love me?"

"Henry, come sit down." I said pointing to the bed next to me. He did so, and I faced him. "I love you now, I loved you then, that's why I gave you up, you saw the file, I had you when I was jail, not only would the state have made me give you up, but I wanted you to have the best life possible, and aside from the fact she's an evil witch from another dimension or something, is life with Regina _really_ that bad?"

"No. But she doesn't love me."

"I'm sure she does. She just can't show it. On account of being an evil witch and all."

"Life with you would have been better."

"Maybe. Maybe not. I might have been a crappier mother than Joan Crawford."

"Who?" He asked.

"Never mind. You're too young. The point being, we don't know if life would have better, but I tried my best to give a better life to you. Understand?"

"I guess."


	5. Chapter 5

"So." I said pausing. "You're only here for another six days, how are we going to spend it?"

"I don't know. I've been trying to think of a way to move COBRA forward, but we need my mom here."

"That's the problem I'm running into."

"How is trying to expose her with Sidney going?"

"Okay I guess, we're walking on eggshells. If we get caught, not only do I loose my job, I could face federal prison."

"and is it worth it?"

"I think so. I may not think so if I get arrested, but right now, yes, it is."

Henry nodded. "So, I guess tomorrow after school we'll go talk to Ashley?"

"I suppose." I said with a smile. "But, more importantly. Are you _really_ okay?" I said eyeing him.

"I'm fine. Your body is your business. But; can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Who's the Dad?"

"Sheriff Graham."

"I would have picked that new writer in town, myself." He said with a smirk.

"Yeah, what's his deal?"

"I don't know but he likes my stories."

"He does, does he?"


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry it's been over a month. I didn't mean to let time get away from me, but with school and trying to graduate with honors, those projects are taking up most my time, remind me again why I agreed to do a FULL TEXT ANNOTATION OF MARY SHELLY'S FRANKENSTEIN? But, it's 12:05am here and I don't feel like doing homework, so here we go.

"Yeah, he was asking about them the other day." Henry said.

"What kind of questions?" I asked.

"I don't know, just….questions. I don't remember exactly."

"Can you try?"

Henry thought for a moment. "I don't remember. Sorry."

I nodded. "Think about it, okay?"

He nodded. "Why is it so important what questions he asked, the writer has nothing to do with COBRA."

"I don't know if it is or not. I just like to your safe and not being sought after by a pervert or someone."

Mary-Margaret walked into the room. "Emma, can I talk to you?"

Henry's eyes became the size of golf balls. "No." He whispered.

I stared at Henry. "Sure." I said. "With or without Henry?"

"Without, for now." She said. "If you don't mind."

"You said you wouldn't tell her." Henry said aloud, before he realized what he was saying.

"I know." Mary-Margret said. "and I thought about it, but she needs to know."

"What do I need to know?" I asked.

"But, you promised!" Henry yelled, ignoring my comment.

"WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW?" I demanded.

"Henry, go upstairs." Mary-Margret said.

Henry scowled at Mary-Margret, but reluctantly left the room, when he received a scowl from me.

"What?" I asked. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, he's not in any danger or anything. But, he got suspended from school today."

"Why wasn't I called?"

"Because, you're not his mother."

"So, Regina knows, which means I'm going to get chewed out when she gets back from wherever the hell she went."

"No, they tried reaching her all day, they kept getting the voicemail, so they came and got me, because they know Henry has been living here for the week."

"What happened?"

"Henry sits next to a boy named Tyler in my class-"

"He's told me about Tyler, kind of mean to him, right?"

"More or less. Tyler just needs the attention, I've met his parents, they don't pay a lick of attention to him, as long as he's not in their way. Well, today Tyler asked Henry what it was like having gay parents. Henry beat him up pretty badly. He broke his nose, blackened his eye, probably broke a few ribs from the force of his knees of Tyler's body. It took three teachers, myself included, to get Henry off of him."

"That doesn't sound like Henry at all."

"I know. That's why I think you should know."

"Hm. What does suspension mean for him?"

"Well, for ten school days he cannot come within two hundred feet of school property, and loosing ten days worth of homework, because you don't get the chance to make up the work, means he'll more than likely have the repeat the grade. Now, this is just rumors I heard in the teachers lounge, Tyler's parents are threatening a restraining order, but I don't know what that would mean for Henry. I figured I'd wait to see if it was true or just hooplah first."

"He didn't seem the least bit concerned he just tried to bash a guy's brain in when we were talking a second ago."

"Not at all, which is what scares me the most."

"Let me go to talk him." I said walking off towards Henry's bedroom.

I knocked on the door. Henry muttered at me to enter the room.

"So?" He asked.

"So?" I repeated, unsure of what to do from here. "What happened?"

"Didn't Mary-Margret tell you everything?"

"Yes. But you didn't."

"Tyler said you and my mom were lovers and that Mary-Margret was your sex toy. Okay?"

"While I appreciate you defending me, your mom, and Mary-Margret, next time, don't. It isn't worth suspension."

"Yes. It. Was."

"Henry, I didn't think you had a violent bone in your body."

"Me neither."


	7. Chapter 7

"So, what are we going to do about it?" I asked Henry.

"Didn't the school already deal with it?"

"Yes. But I didn't."

"Am I grounded?"

"No. That would be too easy. You my friend are going to apologize to Tyler."

"No!"

"Don't test me."

"When?"

I flashed my keys in front of him. "Get in the car."

"You don't know where he lives."

"Oh, but I'm sheriff. I can look up anyone's address. One of the perks."

Henry sighed. He walked out of the room and met Mary-Margaret's eyes. "Look what you did now I have to go apologize to Tyler!"

"Sorry man, she needed to know."

"I did." I said. "Henry, go."

I waited until Henry was out of earshot. "Did he really bloody him that bad?"

"Yeah. You can watch the security tapes, if you need to."

"No. I believe you, what I don't believe is that Henry would do that."

We arrived at Tyler's house. It was a nice, small, cottage looking hose on the edge of town.

The two of us, one reluctantly, walked up to the door.

"Knock." I demanded.

Tyler answered the door.

"What-"

"Before you finish that sentence." I flashed my badge. "You are with the sheriff."

"You brought your mother to fight your battles."

"No, he brought his mother because he can't drive." I said sarcastically.

"What do you want?" He demanded.

"I'm sorry." Henry said softly.

"Whatever." He said slamming the door.

Before he shut the door, I noticed a young girl, with bruises.

"Did that suffice?" Henry asked.

"It'll have to." I said absentmindedly

I pulled out my phone and called Mary-Margaret. "Hey, does Tyler have a sister - how often does she come to school bruised? - well, no. - It would explain why Tyler lashes out. - I don't know. - Bye."

"Is Tyler's sister in your class?" I asked Henry.

"I didn't know he had a sister. What's her name?"

"Not a clue. But I think I may have found the root of his problem."

"Now we just have to find mine."

"Get in the car." I said.


	8. Chapter 8

The two of us drove home in silence. Finally, I broke it with a hammer.

"What did you mean by that?"

"By what?"

"We just need to find the root of my problem?" I said doing my best impersonation of Henry, which was horrible, I might add.

"Oh, nothing."

"If you meant nothing, you wouldn't have said it."

"I don't know why I beat him up. I don't like the guy, but I didn't want to hurt him."

"I get it. But, you were probably mad, and anger gets the adrenaline going, and adrenaline makes you, in a way, stronger than you really are."

"Maybe."

I drove past the house, Henry looked at me deeply confused.

"Don't we need to talk to Ashley?" I said with a smile, as I pulled into the diner.

"Oh, yeah." He said with a grin from ear to ear.

Ashley was wiping down the counters of the diner. But this time, Ruby was nowhere to be seen.

"Grandma?" Henry called out. "Where's Ruby?"

"She's….resting." Grandma said.

"That's not vague." I said to myself.

"In the other world, Ruby is the big-bad-wolf, and yesterday was a full moon, she probably just thinks she has cramps or something."

"Do you even know what cramps are?"

"No, but you told Ms. Blanchard that you had them last night."

"Not every girl gets them on the exact same day."

"Oh, but it's still plausible."

"Ashley?" I asked. "Can I speak to you outside?"

"She's busy." Grandma called.

"It's official business." I said flashing my badge.

"This is a business too." Grandma said. "Ain't gonna happen, I've got a concert ending in fifteen minutes, and there will be lots of hungry people coming in."

"She doesn't know I get off in fifteen minutes, can it wait till then?" Ashley asked.

"Sure." I said nodding.

Fifteen minutes later Ashley walked outside with the smell of Crisco coming from her body.

"What's up?" She asked sitting on the ledge of the diner, until Grandma pounded on the window and motioned for her to get off.

"What a hard-ass." I said sarcastically.

"It's the full moon."

"Told you! Cramps!" Henry yelled.

"What?" Ashley asked trying to suppress a laugh.

"Ignore him, him and I are going to talk when we get home."

"Did you recently make any kind of deal with Mr. Gold?"

Ashley stood motionless.


	9. Chapter 9

"I'll take that as a yes?" I asked.

"Yeah." Ashley said.

"What did the two of you come up with?"

"Well, did you guys know I'm pregnant?"

"We did." Henry said.

"How?" She asked.

"Small town." I said. "Now, the deal?"

"He said he had a good family for my baby, I've met them, their nice."

"Who?"

"Regina and Henry."

"Wait, what?" Henry said.

"Regina said she would adopt my baby, and it would be an open adoption, ya know, so I could still see my son."

"and with everything _surrounding_ the Mayor right now, you're okay with that?"

"Well, not anymore, but at the time, I didn't know what was going on."

"So, tell him you changed your mind." Henry said.

"It's not that easy." I said.

"True." Ashley said. "What do I do?"

Henry dragged me aside.

"Should we let her in on COBRA?"

"What do you think?"

"I think she needs to be let in, for the baby."


	10. Chapter 10

"I think you're right." I said

"Emma and I are working on taking down the Mayor and all of her evilness. Would you like to help?" Henry asked.

"What would I do? I can't afford another arrest." Ashley asked.

"Another?" I asked.

"It was stupid, had some drugs on me back in high school." Ashley said sighing. "It's over. But I don't want to go back to jail."

"Yeah, me either." I said.

"Didn't you have Henry in jail?"

"I did."

"So, what do we do?"

"That depends on what the plan is." A voice said from behind. Regina was standing against the lentils of the diner door. "Miss Swan, I'm sure you have other business that needs to be taken care of. Henry let's go."

"Mom, you're back early."

"I'm aware. Let's go." Regina said pushing Henry out of the door.

"Well, I need Henry here. So, I'll call you later, okay?" I asked to Ashley.

Ashley nodded.

About midnight that night. There was a knock on the door. I opened it half asleep, to find Henry with a suitcase.

"Where are you going?"

"To live with you." He said smiling, entering my apartment.

"Where's Regina?"

"Sleeping."

"Won't she know you're missing?"

"I don't care." Henry said.

"Henry, I know it's nearly midnight, but I have a question for you."

"Shoot."

"What if I filed for custody of you?"

"What's that mean?"

"It means, that…the four of us would live together, you, me, Mary-Margaret, and the baby here."

"Really?"

"Yeah. The baby needs a cool older brother."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: I have a slave/master story going on, I started earlier today, please go review and all that jazz.

"I'd like that, but what about my mom?" He asked.

"Well, she wouldn't be your mom anymore, in a sense."

"I'd like that. She doesn't love me anyway."

"You don't know that."

"I do know that."

"Look, we'll deal with Regina tomorrow, go on to bed."

Henry walked down the hall, Mary-Margaret peered through her door.

"Who's here?" She asked suspiciously.

"Henry."

"Keep him out of my room." She said.

"Okay." Emma said also suspiciously. Light bulb. "Don't tell me David is here?"

"Only for tonight." Mary-Margaret said. "and we're not doing anything wrong, just hanging out."

Emma nodded. "So that's why you're only peering through the door, instead of coming to talk me, because you have clothes on, right?"

"Yes, don't tell Regina."

"I think you should be more worried about Katherine."

"Yeah, her too."

"This isn't my mess. It's your's. I don't intend to tell anyone." Emma said, going to her room.

"Regina is going to kill you." David called from the bedroom.

"She can get in line!" Emma called closing her door.


	12. Chapter 12

The next day, as I had planned. Regina walked into my sheriff's office.

"You want to tell me what's going on?"

"I would, if I knew."

"With Mary-Margaret and David!"

"That. I have no idea, I'm not their keeper."

"You're sheriff, you're everyone's keeper."

"Doesn't mean I keep tabs on where they sleep."

Regina rolled her eyes. "You should."

"I should do a lot of things. Kicking you out of this office, is one of those things." Emma said pointing to the door.

"You can't kick me out of this office, I own this town."

"Then why did I just kick you out?" She said still pointing to the door.

She scoffed, and left.

A few hours later, Henry walked into the office.

"Can I do some homework here, Mom is being weird."

"That may be partly my fault, and sure."

"What are we going to do with COBRA?" He asked.

"I thought you might have an idea. What's the most important thing to Regina?"

"Power."


	13. Chapter 13

"So, let's take away her power."

"Isn't that what we're trying to do?"

"Yes. But I think step one is filing for custody for you. She doesn't have a lot of power over you, but it all counts."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Are you doing it because you love me, or to get at Regina?"

"I am doing it because I regret giving you up in the first place. I want to fix that. Pissing Regina off is just a bonus."

He nodded in agreement. "When do we start?"

"I have a meeting with an attorney tomorrow to see if I have any options."

"You're my mom, why wouldn't you have options?"

"Because I forfeited those rights when I gave you up."

"I see."

"We'll figure something out, okay?"

Henry nodded.


	14. Chapter 14

The next day at school Mary-Margaret walked down the aisles of her classroom, helping students with their lessons, which was currently math. She noticed Henry, who loved math wasn't doing the worksheet.

"Henry?" She asked. "Get busy."

"I don't feel like it."

"Do it anyway."

He tossed the paper to the floor. The class all watched Mary-Margaret to see what she was going to do in response.

"Let's talk later, okay?"

"Whatever."

Mary-Margaret reached down to the floor, picked up the worksheet and put it on Henry's desk, who crumpled it up and threw it into the trashcan.

"I said I don't feel like it." He said turning towards the window.

About fifteen minutes later, Mary-Margaret dismissed her class for recess. "Henry, stay back please."

"Make me." He said trying to shove past her.

She finally got him to sit in his chair, she looked at him with concern in her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Just got a lot on my mind. I don't want to think about school. That's all?"

"What's on your mind?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It does matter. Is it the stuff with your mom?"

"Yeah. And the curse."

"Ah, the _curse." _

"I don't care if you believe me or not, it's real."

"I know it is." She said, agreeing with him only to avoid another argument.

"You don't act like it."

"Your mom is going to get custody of you. You, your mom, and I are going to defeat this curse, eventually. It'll just take some time. Okay?"

"But not in time to save Ashley's baby!"

"She's not due for about 6 more months, and I sure as hell hope it doesn't take that long to solve this."

"Look, you don't understand. I'll see you at home." He said leaving the room, and leaving the school.

He went to the sheriff's station to find Emma behind a desk, on the phone, she motioned for Henry to wait. He sat down at the desk.

Emma hung up the phone. "That was Mary-Margaret."

"Why does she feel the need to tell you everything I tell her?"

"Because she cares. Why'd you skip school?"

"I didn't want to be there. Too much on my mind."

"Like what?"

"Weither or not you'll get custody of me, and weither or not we'll defeat this curse!"

Emma looked at Henry. "I will, and we will. I promise."


	15. Chapter 15

"But aren't Mom's supposed to be there for their kids?"

Emma sat silently. Blinking away the tears. "I'm here now, isn't that something?"

"Would you have come looking for me, ever?"

"I don't know." She said silently. "Why are you bringing all of this up now?"

"More importantly, why isn't Henry in school?" Regina asked from the doorway.

"He got sick." Emma said.

"Sure he did. Henry, let's go."

"I'm not done talking to Emma."

"I'll bring him home later." Emma said.

"The last time I trusted you to do that, you kidnapped him, and tried to leave town. Henry, now."

"Go on." Emma said, silently tapping a walkie-talkie sitting on her desk. He slowly nodded and left the station.

"If you allow my son to skip school again. I'll have your head." Regina said.

"Get in line." She said.

About an hour later, there was a voice on the walkie-talkie.

"I'm sorry." Henry said.

"For what?"

"Being so angry earlier."

"I think it was warranted."

"Maybe. When is the new baby due?"

"I'm only a few weeks pregnant. That being said, what's the next step for the plan?"

"I was hoping you knew."


	16. Chapter 16

"I have no idea." Emma said sighing. "Look, why don't we sleep on it. Okay?"

"Sure." Henry said.

The next day at school, Mary-Margaret caught up with Henry on the playground. "Hey; go down to your mom's office."

"What about class?"

"I've got you covered, go."

Henry ran off towards town when he was stopped by Regina at a red light, in her car.

"Skipping school again?"

"No. I left my lunch at home. I got permission to go get it, since we live so close."

"Hm. Alright, I'd drive you, but I'm late. Go on." She said eying him.

Henry ran towards his house until he was sure Regina wasn't looking, then he turned around and went to the sheriff's office.

"What took so long?" Emma asked.

"I got caught by my mom, had to detour. Sorry. What's up?"

"Well, Mr. Gold-"

"Rumpelstillskin."

"Rumpelstillskin, has agreed to help us."

"Why?"

"He wants your mom to rot in hell as much as I do."

"You want my mom to rot in hell?"

"Not, your mom-Regina, just Regina-the witch, if that makes sense."

"I guess." Henry said shrugging.

"There's always a catch with Rumpelstillskin. What's the catch?"

"That we leave Ashley and her baby alone."


	17. Chapter 17

"So, we're trading one life for another?" Henry asked

"Maybe, We don't know what Rumpelstillskin wants to do with Ashley's baby."

"I don't know if I want to know." Henry said shrugging. "Making a deal with Rumpelstillskin never ends up good for anyone except him, can we just do it ourselves?"

"How well has that gone for us in the past, to be honest, I know you don't want to accept it…but I think it's the only way to break the curse."

"Can I think about it?"

"Of course. Why don't I take you back to school?"

Henry nodded.

Henry arrived back at school, Mary-Margaret stopped him in the hall on the way to class. "She talk to you?"

"Yeah."

"Well, what do you say?"

"I'm gonna think about it. It's a risky deal."

"I think it's the only one."

"I'm not sure. I think if Emma just believed in herself, it would be okay."

"Maybe, but I think it starts with us believing in her."

"I believe in her, do you?"

"Yes, but does she know we believe in her?"

Henry shrugged. "I need to get to class."

Mary-Margaret nodded. "Here, let me write you a pass." She said leading him into her classroom. Henry nodded and followed.

Emma arrived at the house, August was waiting on her.

"How'd you get in?"

"There was a key in the obviously fake rock. I need to talk to you."

"Shoot." Emma said.

"I need you to speed up getting the curse solved. I'm turning to wood."

"Didn't you do that last night?" Emma said with a smirk.

"Yes, last night was great…however, I mean for real. I don't want to be a puppet again. Please, speed it up?"

"I'm trying. I'm waiting on Henry to accept the fact we need Gold's help."


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Sorry it's been so long, school has been a killer.

"What if you don't?" August asked.

Emma shrugged. "It's just a lot to take in….ya know, being the Savior."

August shrugged. "Come sit next to me."

Emma smiled and sat next to him on the couch. He kissed her neck, and eventually he had removed her shirt and was kissing her chest. She moved away from him and put back on her shirt.

"Henry will be home soon. It's hard enough for him to accept the fact that I'm pregnant. I don't want him to know we're dating right now, I want to tell him myself, I don't want him to find out this way."

"Your bedroom door has a lock, does it not?"

"Of course, but that's beside the point."

Almost on queue, Henry walked in the house, followed by Mary Margaret. Henry was surprised to see August, Mary Margaret only rolled her eyes.

"Emma." Mary Margaret said. "The two of us need to talk to you."

"Can it wait?" She said, smiling at August.

"Not unless you want August to turn into a puppet again."

"Oh, we wouldn't want that." A voice said from behind, it was Regina.

"Why is it you always seem to pop up at the most inconvenient time?" Mary Margaret asked.

"As an evil witch, like you people seem to think I am-" She was cut.

"Know you are." Henry added.

"It's my job." Regina said ignoring Henry's comment. "Now, care to tell me why Henry missed school, _again_?" Regina demanded.

"He didn't." Mary Margaret said.

"Yeah, because I believe the likes of you. Emma?"

"Look, I don't know if he skipped on his own free will, but I doubt it. However, he wasn't with me. I had some errands to run, I spent most of my day driving from house to house, so unless he turned invisible….he wasn't with me."

"I think your excuse is worse than the home wrecker's. Henry?"

"Which class did they say I wasn't in?"

"Fourth period. Your teacher got a pass from the whore, saying you went to the guidance office about halfway through her class, because you started crying in class. However, they never saw you."

Henry thought on his feet. "Isn't it possible that secretary is mistaken, she's like ninety…I don't think she'd recognize if Jesus himself came into that office."

"But how did Mary Margaret, and I'm only referring to you as that because I can't think of any other names, know you would be down there during fourth hour?"

"I was really upset, She's not an idiot. Besides there's always a line to talk to Lindsay."

"Lindsay?"

"Yeah, the guidance lady."

"She doesn't make you call her Mrs. Kline?"

"No."

"Hm, I'll have a word with her."

"Regina, is there a problem here?"

"Yes. Or are you too stupid to realize the problem with my son skipping school?"

"I understand the problem with Henry skipping school. What you seem too stupid to understand is that he didn't."

Regina glared at Emma. "Henry, let's go."

"I want to stay with Emma."

"I'm your mother. I say go."

"But you're not my mother. Emma is."

"So, Emma raised you? Emma fed you? Clothed you? Took care of you when you were three years old and had that nasty throat infection? Fine. Stay." Regina said leaving the house and slamming the door. Outside, she quietly sat on the floor, and sobbed.

"Henry." Emma said. "Go wait in my room, please?"

"What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing, well; nothing intentionally. You're not in trouble I just need to talk to you. Please?"

Henry sighed. "But Mary Margaret and I needed to talk to you."

"But, I'm sure Mary Margaret can handle whatever it is on her own, and besides I need to talk to her as well."

"and I'll just sit here like a puppet." August said jokingly.

"I'm sorry, with all the commotion Regina caused, I forgot you were here. "Why don't we catch up tomorrow?" He leaned in for a kiss, but Emma backed away, pointing with her eyes that Henry was still in the room, August thought on his feet and brushed her shoulder. "Lint." He said.

"Henry, please?" Emma asked, this time begging.

"Can I have a soda?" He asked.

Emma sighed, soda was a treat, but she was desperate. "Go ahead."

Henry grabbed a soda from the fridge and walked into the bedroom.

"Shut the door please." Mary Margaret yelled.

Emma sat back down on the couch. "What did you and Henry need to talk about?"

"More importantly, what do you need to talk to Henry about?"

"A conversation that I'm not looking forward to having."

"About saying Regina wasn't his Mom?"

She sighed. "Yeah."

Mary Margaret sighed. "I thought it needed to be said."

"Maybe. But he went about it wrong, as much as I don't like her, I think it hurt her. What did you need to talk about?"

"Well, after seeing August….a couple things."

"Start wherever."

"Henry and I both feel that the deal with Mr. Gold-"

"Rumpelstillskin." Emma interjected.

"Rumpelstillskin. Is the wrong way to go. We both think in order for you to break the curse, you have to believe in yourself, but that it starts with us believing in you."

"You don't believe in me?"

"No, nothing like that. We do, but; Henry and I are always looking for a quick fix, and there isn't one. We don't show you that we believe in you enough. That's going to change. Before August turns to wood."

"Nice segway, what about him?"

"Are you having sex?"

"We have, a few times."

"Are you officially dating, or just friends with benefits?"

"I don't know yet."

"How does Henry feel?"

"I don't know, I haven't told him. He was lucky to see us both clothed, I had just put back on my shirt when he walked in."

"What about Graham?"

"He's dead. What about him?"

"That doesn't mean you're not carrying his child. You don't want to give a child still in the womb bad ideas, do you?"

"I'm pretty sure at two weeks the brain isn't developed to the point it even understood what was going on."

"Look, it's fine if you want to use August as a fuck buddy, it's your body. But, what if you get attached, but can't turn the curse around in time? you'll be fuck buddies with a piece of wood."

Emma got up, "I'm going to talk to Henry."

"You can't ignore what I said."

"Oh, watch me." She said walking into the bedroom and shutting the door.

"Watch you what?" Henry asked not turning from the television.

"Nothing, girl stuff." Emma said turning off the television.

"I was watching that!" Henry yelled.

"and now you're not. Besides, it's a re-run."

"Doesn't mean it isn't good."

"Touché, but they run that show all the time. I need to talk to you about what happened."

"What?"

"You said Regina wasn't your mother."

"Well, she isn't."

Emma sat down on the bed next to Henry. "Let me explain something. I'm your biological mother, Regina is your mom. Any, drug-abusing, criminal, can be a mother. Hell, I think the fact I had you in the middle of a jail cell proves that. Even if Regina is a witch-"

"She is." Henry interjected.

"Just listen. Even if Regina is a witch, it takes balls to be a mom. Balls I didn't have until you appeared on my doorstep. I lost my right to be your mom ten years ago."

"Don't you want me?"

"Of course. I'm working on getting you back. However, that doesn't mean Regina isn't your mom in the meantime. See, she has time with you I didn't have. I didn't know when you were three you had a nasty throat infection."

"I couldn't talk for over a week."

"And I wish I had those memories with you, as bad and sickly as they are. But I don't, Regina does."

"I still want to live with you."

Emma sighed. "Right now. Until I get you back, that's not possible."

"When are you going to get me back?"

"Well, because I gave you up, most lawyers and judges aren't giving me much time. But, I think when I break the curse, I'll be able to."

"And then get arrested for killing Regina, because that'll be the only logical explanation, unless we tell them she went to another dimension, which is liable to get us locked up in the whack shack."

Emma shrugged. "We'll deal with that when the time comes. For now, I want you to do something for me."

"What?"

"Regina is crying in the hallway. Go apologize, and go home."


	19. Chapter 19

"No." Henry said. "I didn't say anything that wasn't true." He slammed his first against the wall as hard as he could.

Emma was shocked, she had never seen Henry resort to violence before, unless you count the time with Tyler, and she wasn't actually there.

"Hey, calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Henry yelled, slamming his fist against the wall again. This time causing a hole in the wall.

"Henry, I know you're upset, but you need to calm down. You're going to break your hand."

"Don't. Tell. Me. To. Calm. Down." He said crashing his fist into the hole and making it bigger.

Emma embraced Henry, not as a means to console him, but as a means to confine him. "Mary-Margaret! Get in here!" Emma called, avoiding a head-butt from Henry. Mary-Margaret ran into the room to find Emma barely holding onto Henry.

"I don't know what the problem is, he just got really angry when I told him to apologize to Regina, I need help."

"What do you want me to do?"

"What'd you do at school?"

"Let me out of here!" Henry yelled. Emma still held onto him as tight as she could.

"Think woman!" Emma yelled.

"I just what you're doing, it just didn't take as long to calm him down."

"Go get Regina."

"Really?"

"NOW!" Emma yelled.

Regina came rushing in followed by Mary-Margaret.

"Henry." Regina said calmly as he was still fighting to get out of Emma's grasp. "You're safe here."

"No!" He yelled.

"Why aren't you safe?"

Henry struggled to get out of Emma's grasp, ignoring Regina's question.

"Why aren't you safe?" He repeated.

"Because they're coming!"

"Who is?"

"Them!"

"Sweetheart, we can't fix it unless you tell us." Emma said.

"Oh please." He said trying to head-butt her. "You can't fix this."

"Emma, shut up." Regina said. "Look, I won't admit I'm the witch, but I will admit, I have nothing to do with this."

"Then what is it?" Emma said. "He's never acted like this."

"Yes he has, you just don't see it. This is the worst it's been."

"Let me out of here!" Henry said, now clawing at his eyeballs. Mary-Margaret confined his hands in hers, while Regina held his legs, and Emma held on to his torso.


	20. Chapter 20

The three women struggled to keep Henry in their grasp.

"They're coming!" He kept screaming.

"Who is?" Regina, Emma, and Mary-Margaret would ask.

Henry suddenly fell asleep.

Emma sighed, letting go of him, laying him on the bed.

"Can I talk to you in private?" Emma asked.

"I think this involves me too." Mary-Margaret said.

The three women sat in the living room.

"Any idea on what's going on?" Emma asked.

"Not a clue. I was thinking about maybe asking Gold for some help."

"What can he do?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"More than you can imagine." Emma said.

"Fair enough." Mary-Margaret replied.

"What about possession?" Emma asked.

"What about it?" Regina asked.

"Is it possible?"

"That Henry might be possessed?"

"Yes."

"Maybe. I hadn't considered that. If it is, you're going to have a tough road ahead of you. What with trying to break this so-called curse and trying to run the demon out of Henry."

"Isn't black magic you're dealings?"

"Maybe. But I don't mess with spirits, too risky."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "What do we do?"

"Talk to Gold."


	21. Chapter 21

The three women ran to Gold's shop.

"Should we leave Henry alone, if he is possessed?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"A few minutes shouldn't hurt." Regina replied.

"I hope not." Emma said.

"How can I help you?" Mr. Gold said peering over his counter in the antique shop.

"Well, you deal with black magic, right?" Regina asked.

"Ummm…" He said looking at Emma and Mary-Margaret.

"Don't worry about them." Regina said.

"Okay, then of course I do."

"Is Henry possessed?" Emma asked.

"How would I know?" He demanded.

"If he is, can you do something?" Emma asked.

"What's in it for me?" Gold asked.

"What do you want?" Emma said.

"You know what I want."

Emma thought for a moment. "I can't give you Ashley's baby."

"Not that baby." He said looking at her stomach.

"Mine?"

"Of course. A baby that magical could do me some good."

Emma walked out of the shop, followed by Mary-Margaret. Regina stayed behind in the shop.

"Emma. Don't even think about it."

"I'm not. The possession, if that is what's going on will end when we defeat the curse."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What if he isn't possessed?"

"Okay?"

"I mean, what if there's something else going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what if he's dealing with some problems you don't want to deal with, and we're looking to possession as a way to not have to deal with those problems."

"But you heard him. Even an angry kid doesn't say things like that."

Mary-Margaret shrugged. "Have you sent him to Doctor Hopper?"

"He has an appointment tomorrow."


	22. Chapter 22

"But I don't really want this baby." Emma said quietly.

"Of course you do. That's just mommy jitters talking." Mary-Margaret said.

"No, it's 'I don't want to be reminded of Graham on a daily basis jitters'"

"Then give your baby to Gold. He'll sell it with the fine china."

"I'm not giving my baby to him. I'll figure another way around. I'm just making a point."

Emma and Mary-Margaret arrived home. They walked in separate directions to their bedrooms and Emma smiled as she saw August sitting on her bed.

"Mary-Margaret is here." Emma said climbing onto the bed as well.

"I know." August said kissing her lips.

"Why don't we go to your place. I'd rather not have sex with my mother home." Emma said with a smile.

August gave Emma puppy dog eyes, and she nodded. He, who already had his shirt removed, began to remove her's.

The next day, Emma was sitting in the sheriff's office when Regina walked in.

"What are you planning to do?" She asked blatantly.

"Nice to see you too. About what?"

"The baby and Gold's deal."

"No deal. I'm not giving my child up again."

"But you said last night you don't want it."

"I didn't mean it like that, I meant, I don't want the situation. I want the baby."

"Then why didn't you say situation?" Regina asked with a raised eyebrow. "Look, it seems like an easy way to fix everything."

"Or I could stab you to death. It seems like that would fix things as well. I mean, if you're dead. No curse."

"And if I'm not a witch, I'm dead, and you're held accountable for murder. And Henry, and this other baby go to a new family."

"I don't know if you're a witch. But I certainty know you're a bitch." Emma said, turning away from Regina and facing the computer.


	23. Chapter 23

The three women ran to Gold's shop.

"Should we leave Henry alone, if he is possessed?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"A few minutes shouldn't hurt." Regina replied.

"I hope not." Emma said.

"How can I help you?" Mr. Gold said peering over his counter in the antique shop.

"Well, you deal with black magic, right?" Regina asked.

"Ummm…" He said looking at Emma and Mary-Margaret.

"Don't worry about them." Regina said.

"Okay, then of course I do."

"Is Henry possessed?" Emma asked.

"How would I know?" He demanded.

"If he is, can you do something?" Emma asked.

"What's in it for me?" Gold asked.

"What do you want?" Emma said.

"You know what I want."

Emma thought for a moment. "I can't give you Ashley's baby."

"Not that baby." He said looking at her stomach.

"Mine?"

"Of course. A baby that magical could do me some good."

Emma walked out of the shop, followed by Mary-Margaret. Regina stayed behind in the shop.

"Emma. Don't even think about it."

"I'm not. The possession, if that is what's going on will end when we defeat the curse."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What if he isn't possessed?"

"Okay?"

"I mean, what if there's something else going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what if he's dealing with some problems you don't want to deal with, and we're looking to possession as a way to not have to deal with those problems."

"But you heard him. Even an angry kid doesn't say things like that."

Mary-Margaret shrugged. "Have you sent him to Doctor Hopper?"

"He has an appointment tomorrow."

Henry sat in Doctor Hopper's office. "I'm not possessed." He said.

"I didn't ask you if you were possessed." Doctor Hopper said with a raised eyebrow. "I talked to both Emma and Mary-Margaret. What's going on?"

Henry shrugged. "I just got angry. I don't see the problem."

"I don't think it would be a problem, if you lived a normal life."

"I'm mad that Emma is going to keep her second baby, but didn't feel that I was worth keeping, okay?!"

"I see. But Emma is in your life now, doesn't that count for something?"

"No. Because I had to find her myself."


	24. Chapter 24

Emma sat on her bed, waiting on Henry to get back home. August sat with her, and played with the zipper on her shirt.

"August, stop." She said moving his hand.

"Why?"

"Because I have too much to think about."

"I can help." He said unzipping her shirt.

"Stop!" Emma said. "Henry will be back soon, okay?"

August nodded as Emma zipped her shirt.

Henry walked into the room and threw his backpack down.

"Emma, stop telling people I'm possessed. I'm not! I'm just angry!"

"You said the other day you weren't angry."

"I wasn't, until you told Doctor Hopper that I was possessed."

"I know you're mad because I gave you up, I'm hoping when you get older, you'll understand. Okay?"

"Whatever." Henry said walking out of the room.

"I don't know what to do with him." Emma said.

"Finish off the curse. Have you figured it out yet?"

"Nope. I've read his storybook a million and two times, and there's nothing."

"Maybe you need to read between the lines?"

"I have been."

"Well, I'll look it over tomorrow, okay?" He said kissing her lips.

"Have you thought about true love?" Mary-Margaret asked from the doorway.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked.

"Well, in most of the stories the curse is broken with true love. Have you thought about that?"

"Well, Graham and I had true love, or at least I like to think so." Emma looked and August. "No offense." She looked back and Mary-Margaret. "So, why is it still going on?"

"Maybe because our love is real?" August asked.

"Again, I think it would have been over if that was true, you know?" Emma asked. "I'm not saying what we have isn't real."

"It's not, you're fuck buddies." Mary-Margaret added.

"But, maybe it isn't what whoever controls the curse is looking for." Emma said ignoring Mary-Margaret's comment.

"What if it's getting Henry back?" August asked. "You've said several times that Henry was the most important thing in your life, and he should be. What if the true love, isn't a boyfriend or husband, but your son?"


	25. Chapter 25

"I've thought about that." Emma said. "The problem is, no lawyer will give me the time of day, since I gave him up."

"Keep trying." August assured her. "I don't want to be a puppet."

"No pressure, right?" Emma said rolling her eyes.

Henry walked into the room. "Why don't you try social workers, if you proved them you were fit, they might be able to get in contact with some lawyers?"

"How much did you hear?" Emma asked.

"Enough. I think it's a good idea." He said.

Emma sighed. "I'll see what I can do."

Regina walked into the room. "Can I come in? Thanks."

"What?" Emma asked.

"Henry needs to do his homework. At home."

"Already did it." Henry said.

"You did?" Regina asked.

"No, but I don't want to leave."

"Regina, you look exhausted, I'll keep Henry for the night, I'll make him do his homework, I'll get him to school."

"I'm fine." Regina said, grabbing Henry's arm.

"What did you and Emma talk about?" Regina asked in the car.

"Life, in general."

"What about life in general?"

"I don't understand the question."

"Don't play games with me. What did you talk about?"

"I told you." Henry said dryly.


	26. Chapter 26

"Well, you know you can talk to me about anything, right?" Regina asked.

"Sure. I just prefer to talk to Emma."

"How come?"

"I don't know. Why do you talk to the people you talk to?"

"Touche. Come on." She said pulling into the driveway.

Henry walked into the house, Mr. Gold was sitting on the couch. It shocked Henry, but not Regina.

"Henry, do your homework."

"What's Mr. Gold here for?"

"Because. Go do your homework."

Henry sat on his bed, and picked up the phone sitting on his dresser. "Hey, Mary-Margaret, is my mom there? - Emma, Mr. Gold is here. - I don't know, Mom won't tell me. - What if he knows you're going to try to get me back? - Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

Regina appeared in Henry's doorway. "Who was that?"

"Nobody."

"Somebody, and you had better tell me who this instant."

"Nobody."

"Henry, tell me now or I take your phone."

Henry tossed the phone onto the floor.

Regina picked it up and put it in her pocket.

"I can just look at the bill."

"Go for it."

"Henry, what's the problem?"

"Nothing."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I wish you had a father."

"Yeah me too." He said coldly.

"What's that mean?"

"Nothing."

"Something."

"Nothing."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Do I need to bring out the switch again?"

"Do it and I'll claim child abuse, and I'd like to point out, it's an election year."

Regina rolled her eyes again, knowing he was right. She walked over to him and grabbed his arm tightly.

"Boy, I know you don't like me. But, you had better start listening to me!"

"Why?"

Regina smacked Henry across the face. He sat there dumbfounded.

"That's why." She said.

"I'm not staying here." He said shoving past Regina and Mr. Gold, leaving the house. Smiling.

He arrived at the sheriff's office, which was closer than Emma's house, and saw the night guard was there.

"Hey, can I call my mom?"

"She just called, she told me if you come here to take you home."

"No, Emma. Not Regina."

"I've got orders from the mayor, kid."

"You never saw me, then." He said walking out of the office before the guard could stop him. He walked the rest of the way to Mary-Margaret's and Emma's house.

Mary-Margaret was shocked to see him, and more shocked to see the bruise on his arm, and even more shocked to see the handprint on his face.

"Get in here." She said, peering out the door to make sure none of the mayor's goons followed Henry.

Emma came out of the room, just as shocked to see Henry, and the markings on him as Mary-Margaret was.

"Mary-Margaret, would you like to talk to Henry, or should I?" Emma asked.

Mary-Margaret shrugged. "I don't think I have much authority here."

"Henry, meet me in my bedroom."

"You don't understand!"

"No, but we'll talk. Go."

Emma waited until Henry was out of earshot. "Regina hit him."

"You don't know that."

"You do too."

"Let me go talk to him." Emma said sighing.

Emma walked into the bedroom, saw Henry sitting on his bed, and sat down on the floor, leaning against the door.

They sat quietly for a few moments.

"What happened?" Emma asked.

"I'm trying to help."

"I don't understand."

"If I piss Regina off, she won't want me and then you can get me back easier!"

"That's not how it works, and you know it."

"Seemed like a good idea to me."

"Henry, I love you. I do."

"But?"

"But, you're not helping me here. If the lawyers see you acting out with Regina, the mayor, the strongest willed person in the city, than they'll assume you're too much of a problem for me."

"But I won't be a problem!" He wined.

"I know that, you know that, Mary-Margaret knows that, August knows that, but the lawyers don't know that, and they won't see it that way."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. We'll deal with it. I don't think once matters."

Henry sighed.

"What?"

"It hasn't been just once."

"How many times?"

"I don't know."

"Ballpark it."

"Once or twice a night for the past month."

"Why?" Emma asked.

"I keep pissing her off."

"We only decided this was the way to defeat the curse today."

"I know. But I knew if you could get her on hitting me, I could live with you."

"Henry, there are better ways than this."

"I couldn't think of one."

"How about just coming to talk to me?"

"You never listen."

"I'm listening now."

"I don't like living with her."

"I know. But there's nothing I can do right now, and you getting yourself beaten up, isn't going to help. Let's take you home, okay?"

"See, you never listen!"

"I am listening, but I also have to do what's best for you right now, and unfortunately, that means living with Regina."

About fifteen minutes later, Emma walked Henry up to the door.

"I can walk in by myself." Henry said.

"I don't know that."

"Emma?" Regina asked, trying to hide the fact that Mr. Gold was still in the house.

"I'm bringing Henry back."

"An hour and a half after he left?"

"He just got to my house about fifteen minutes ago. I don't know where he was before."

"Ice cream parlor." Henry said.

"Fine." Regina said rolling her eyes.

Henry walked into the house.

Emma came back home, Mary-Margaret was sitting on the couch with August.

"August, don't you have your own house?" She said smiling.

"Sure. But you're not there."

"Mary-Margaret, can I talk to you?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"Your Henry's teacher, right?"

"Yep."

"I need you to kind of give him an overview everyday and let me know if he has any bruises or anything, okay?"

"Why?"

"He's allowing Regina to hit him, by making her mad, for at least the past month, because he thinks it'll make him live here quicker."

"Why does he think that?" August asked.

"I don't know, why do ten year olds think anything that they think?"

"Touche." August replied.

"I'll do my best." Mary-Margaret said.

The next day at school, Mary-Margaret kept Henry at recess.

"I guess Emma asked you to talk to me?" He said.

"No. Not at all."

"What?"

"This." She said handing him a piece of paper.

"What about it?"

"I told you to draw your family."

"That's very Kindergarten."

"Not if you listened to the entire lesson."

"Okay, what about my drawing?"

"You drew Regina being eaten by an alligator. Wanna explain?"

"It's not an alligator."

"What is it?"

"The crocodile that ate Captain Hook's hand."


	27. Chapter 27

"Henry, I'm going to have to turn this into the principal. Supposed Grandson or not."

"I'll say Tyler framed me." He said crossing his arms.

"Henry, nothing you say is going to leave this room. I won't tell Regina, Emma, anybody. What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"I've known you long enough to know when you're lying."

"Just mad."

Mary-Margaret stared into his cold blue eyes. "Why?" She asked softly. There was a knock on the door, it was the principal, he had a boy in a green outfit by his side.

"Henry, this boy here says he's your cousin." He said.

"Um, okay?" Henry said, staring at the boy who had a suspiring resemblance to Robin Hood.

"Is he not?"

"I have no idea. Bring him in here."

The boy waited until the principal left the room and jumped on top of the desk.

"Avast! Ye matey's!" He yelled. "Did someone say crocodile?"

"Who are you?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"Why, I'm Peter Pan. Wendy, John, and Michael are around here somewhere. We're here to defeat the dangerous Captain Hook, and save the lost boys, along with Tiger Lily!" He said stomping on the desk.

"I thought you were Robin Hood." Henry said softly, slightly disappointed.

"Alright, what led you to my classroom?"

"Someone said crocodile."

"I'm sure a lot of people say crocodile on any given day, well, maybe not."

"Yes, but how many people say….'being eaten by a crocodile? So you must know where Captain Hook is."

"Sorry." Henry said.

Peter Pan looked dismayed. "Could I travel in your ship with you and look?"

"Ship?"

"Yes, there are tons of ships out there." He said pointing to the parking lot.

"Oh, my car. Sure. It should fit everybody. Henry, I think we need to give Emma a call."

Soon, the house was filled with Peter Pan, who kept looking out the window every time a car passed, and Wendy, Jane, and Michael, three British kids.

"How hard can it be to find a guy with a hook for a hand?" Henry asked.

"How dangerous can it be as well?" Emma asked.

"You know what I just thought of?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"Hm?" Emma replied.

"We've been neglecting Ashley."

"We have been. Henry, call her. See if she wants to come join the party."

Ashley arrived about an hour later, she was wearing torn clothes, and had a few bruises.

"Now, is that anyway a mother-to-be should look?" Peter Pan asked.

"Who are you?"

"Why I'm-"

"My cousin...Peter." Henry said quickly.

"Why is he dressed like Robin Hood?"

"He's a little….." Henry gestured towards his head.

"Ah, sorry."

"Ashley, can I speak to you?" Emma said motioning for her to go to the other room.

"I suppose." Ashley said sighing.

"If I were a Captain with a hook for a hand, where would I be?" Mary-Margaret asked herself.

"Hiding from Peter Pan, that's where!" Peter Pan yelled.

Emma sat with Ashley on the bed.

"Peter is right, you're due anytime, why are you dressed like you are?"

"I was cleaning. Didn't want to get my clean clothes dirty."

"Fair enough, who hit you?"

"Nobody. Hit myself a few times cleaning."

"Stop lying to me."

"I'm not."

"I have a super power, I can tell when people are lying."

"Henry has lied to you plenty of times."

"I know. I just pick my battles. This, my dear." She said touching Ashley's arm, making Ashley wince. "Is a battle I can't turn down. Spill."

"My step mom."

"She's back in town?"

"Just for the weekend. Then everything goes back to normal."

"No. It won't."

"She only treats me like a servant every once in awhile now. It's nothing I can't handle."

Emma pointed to her arm. "You obviously can't. What kind of example is that for your baby?"

"I don't care. I'm giving it to Mr. Gold."


	28. Chapter 28

Emma was taken aback at Ashley's statement. She slowly got up, and shut the bedroom door.

"You are?" She asked softly.

"Yes, I don't have a mom, or a dad. My baby doesn't have a dad, I can't raise the thing."

"I thought the same thing about Henry. You know what?"

"Hm?"

"I regret not being there for the first ten years of his life every day."

"But I'm not you!"

"No, but we'll get through this together."

"I don't want to be a Mom."

"You might feel different once you hold the baby."

"You didn't."

"I gave birth in jail, I never got the option."

"It's my decision."

"And I don't think you're thinking it all the way through."

"I think I have. Gold seems like my only option. He said he'll pay me."

"But what will you loose, and Gold always comes with a catch."

"This time he doesn't, I've read the contract a million times."

"Men like Gold, don't change."

"Emma, stop being mom for just one second, and be a friend, okay?" Ashley said beginning to cry.

"Ashley, you don't have a mom."

"Don't remind me."

"No, I mean. In this situation, I think you need a mom."

"I don't."

"Well, you have one."

"If you were my mom, you would have given birth to me at fifteen."

"Okay. I gave birth to Henry at eighteen."

"Emma. Stop. I'm doing what I want."

"Ashley, you're making a horrible decision."

"I don't care. It's still my decision."

"Why not see if Ruby will help?"

"Because isn't Ruby some sort of wolf?"

"Not in this world. Well, not really."

"Whatever." Ashley said leaving the room.

Emma walked back into the room, slowly followed by Ashley.

"What's the plan?" Emma asked.

"Find Captain Hook." Mary-Margaret. "At least for now."

"Hm, where would a man with a hook for hand be?"

"I already said, hiding from Peter Pan!" Peter Pan said.

"Wait, he's evil, right?" August asked.

"Duh!" Peter Pan said.

"What do evil people do for a living?" He asked.

"Run for President." Emma said sarcastically.

"Lawyers." August said. "Isn't there a lawyer in town with a mechanical arm?"

"Yeah, ya know, I didn't put two and two together." Emma said. "Henry, go look him up."

Henry nodded. Turning to the computer, a few moments later he spoke. "He's not that far away, and his office is open for another hour."

"Let's get in your strange boat and travels on black ocean and find him!" Peter Pan yelled.


	29. Chapter 29

Everyone piled into the car, Peter Pan kept looking for the sails, to the ship. Everyone, including, Wendy, John, and Michael.

"Wait." Henry said. "How are we going to approach this guy? I mean, _Hello, are you Captain Hook_, seems a little odd, doesn't it?"

"It does. More importantly-" Mary-Margaret said. "Where did you come from?"

"Down a rabbit hole, into a strange hat. Poof, I was in your world."

"Down a rabbit hole, does that mean Alice is here too?" Emma asked.

"I don't know of an Alice, but I ended up falling down a rabbit hole looking for hook."

"Why didn't you look out on the ocean?"

"Because that's where he wants you to look. Where are my Lost Boys?"

"Lost." Emma silently. "And they need to stay that way, I can't afford anymore mouths to feed."

They arrived at the office of C.W. Hook.

"That's odd." Emma said. "You'd think he be more careful to hide his identity."

"Well, he added a W." August said.

"Touche. Let's go."

Emma walked in, followed by everyone else. "Are you-?" Emma began.

"CAPTAIN HOOK! DRAW YOUR SWORD!" Peter yelled.

C.W just looked dumbfounded. "Regina's curse said you wouldn't remember."

"Little kids always remember. It's how Santa and the Tooth Fairy stay alive."

"They stay alive because of good health and exercise. Well, I don't know about the jolly old man. I'm sure the elves have something to with that. Besides that, you're a grown man, not a child!"

"A grown man with the heart of a child." Peter Pan said.

Hook drew a weapon, only instead of a sword, it was a .22"

"What kind of sword is that?" Peter asked.

"The kind of sword you need to get away from." Emma said pushing him to the ground.

"I'll shoot the wittle tyke, if gets in my way."

"Of what?" Emma asked, reaching for her gun as well.

"Helping the Queen take over this Godforsaken place."

"Sorry, I'm sheriff, and you just drew a weapon on a minor." She said shoving Henry in front of the barrel, and then shoving him away. "Come with me." She said putting Hook in handcuffs.

They arrived at the station a little while later, Emma had to call for backup in order to fit everyone. Emma found three children waiting by her desk, all dirty, and looked to be homeless.

"Peter, are they your's?" Emma asked.

"Yes ma'am."

"Peter!" The children yelled.

"We missed you!" They said hugging him.

Emma just sighed. "I don't have housing for all of them."

"You come to my house. They take your room. Mary-Margaret can watch everyone for the night, until we can arrange something tomorrow." August suggested.

"Mary-Margaret, would you mind?" Emma asked.

"Yes, but I don't see a better option on the horizon. Go, I've got the fort."

Emma and August arrived at his place. "Why didn't we just bring everyone here. There is way more room." Emma asked.

"Because I wanted to be alone with my girlfriend for once." He said playing with the trim on her shirt.

"Is everything about sex with you?"

"How often are we alone?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"You didn't answer mine."

"I know we're not alone very often. I'm sorry." Emma said. "But, we'll be alone even less if I get Henry back, and alone even less than that once this baby is born."

"All the more reason to live while we can."

"No, August. I just want to sit on the couch and have a conversation."

About fifteen minutes later, the two people were on the couch, kissing, he on top of her.

"Wanna take this to the bed?" He asked.

"No." She said biting her lip.

He quickly undid her clothes, Henry walked into the house.

"Of course." Emma said shoving August off of her, and clothing herself with a nearby blanket.

"What do you need buddy?"

Henry ran off to the back bedroom, in tears.

"See. I told you."

"You never said Henry would be here."

"I implied." Emma said putting back on her clothes and running after Henry. "However, it was nice. Way better than talking."

"Why talk with your mouth when you can talk with your body?"

"Isn't that a Marvin Gaye song?"

"I don't know."

Emma walked into the room, Henry was on the bed, crying.

"Henry. We need to talk."

"I don't want to."

"Oh believe me, neither do I. But, we need to."

Henry raised his head. "You just wanted to come here for sex!"

"No, but things do happen."

"You can say no."

"Henry, let's start by answering why _you_ came over tonight, hm?"

"It was getting crowded over there. Mary-Margaret dropped me off. She said you wouldn't mind."

"I don't. But you need to knock."

"Sorry."

"Not a big deal. It happens. I walked in on my foster parents on more than one occasion. It's awkward, but it does happen."

"But, August isn't the father of the baby."

"Okay?"

"He isn't my father either?"

"Okay?"

"That means you've had sex with three different men, that I know of. Aren't adults supposed to only have sex with one person?"

"In a utopian society, yes. But unfortunately, we live on a planet where, Graham is dead, your father is a deadbeat, and August is a good friend."

"My father is a deadbeat?"

"Why don't you think he's around?"

"I always assumed he didn't know I existed."

Emma thought for a moment. "You know buddy, he probably doesn't. Being so young, I don't think I ever told him." She said sighing heavily.

"I just wish you guys were still together."

"I do too sometimes, but ultimately, we're not, and neither are Graham and I. August and I love each other."

"Until he turns into a puppet."

"I'm not going to let that happen."

"Where's Hook?"

"Why?"

"You need a lawyer, right?"

"Yes, what are you getting at?"

"Why don't you cut him a deal?"


	30. Chapter 30

"What kind of deal?" Emma asked.

"One where he gets off, on whatever charges you conjured up, and you get custody of me."

"It might work." August said.

"But why would he help me? He's with Regina."

"It's worth a shot." Henry said.

"Yeah, let me go down myself. August, stay here with Henry, and teach him how to knock?" She said sarcastically.

August nodded.

Emma arrived at the sheriffs office, Hook was behind bars.

"You're a lawyer, right?"

"Yes.

"I'll make you a deal?"

"Hm?"

"Give me custody of Henry, I won't arrest you."

"You already did."

"I haven't saved the file."

"I can't give you custody of Henry, a judge has to."

"Convince a judge."

"Why would I help you?"

"Because if you don't, I can edit that file and make you spend life in prison."

"You wouldn't risk your job for that."

"You don't know me very well then."

"Do it." a voice said from behind him. It was Mr. Gold.

"Why?"

"With Regina out of the way, we can both rule the way we want to, without her dictatorship."

"That does sound nice."

"Everyone wins." Emma said.

"But there's still my fee."

"Ashley is planning on giving you her baby to sell with the china."

"That'll work." Mr. Gold said with a smile.

"Wait, if I do this. You both have to promise that you will leave both me and Henry, Mary-Margaret, and August, and heck, David out of any evil schemes?"

"Yeah, whatever." Hook said.

"Maybe." Mr. Gold said.

Fifteen legal minutes later, there were papers drawn up, and a judge sitting in the sheriffs office.

"I don't normally leave my shows for these matters, but Hook seems fond of you Miss Swan." The judge says.

"I'm rather fond of him as well."

The judge signed his name to a paper. "There. You have custody."

Regina stormed into the room. "Emma! You took my son from me!"

"Just now!"

"Rumpelstillskin, Hook, you were in on it?"

"We just want our chance at power." Hook responded as Emma opened the cell door.

"Delete my file." He said.

She deleted the file from the computer. "There. Regina, why are you still alive?"

"You only got rid of my power, not my life essence."

"Power is your life essence." Hook said throwing water on her.

"That witch was my aunt. Idiot." She said wiping her face off.

"So, is the curse broken?" Emma asked.

"It should be." Rumpelstillskin said. "Where is Jefferson's hat?"

"Here." Emma said reaching under her desk. She threw it up in the air, and the purple vortex began to swim across the room.

"Come on Hook, let's go cause some havoc." Rumpelstillskin said, jumping into the vortex.

"Why didn't you stop them?"

"They promised they'd leave me and Henry alone. Plus, my limit is one magical crisis a year."

"What do I do now? Without my power, I'm not even Mayor, I used magic to rig that election!"

Emma handed her a mop from a nearby corner. "Your mess, you clean it up." Emma said leaving the room.

Emma arrived home, to find the house empty, except for Mary-Margaret. "Where is everyone?"

"I don't know, they just poofed, vanished. Good riddance, that Peter kid is weird."

"I wonder why we didn't go back to the fairy tale time."

"Because your son isn't from that time."

Emma ran out of the house, and arrived at August's house a few minutes later.

"Did you do it?!" Henry yelled.

"I did."

"Then why am I still here?" August asked.

"Because what we have is true love, and everything we need is right here." Emma said hugging Henry and August.


End file.
